LoveShackFancy, Responsible For Summer’s Favourite Dresses, Has Just Launched A Bridal Collection

2020 has not been kind to weddings. But finally, a reason to be cheerful for those planning their big day: today LoveShackFancy launches its debut bridal collection.

It’s a match made in fashion heaven for brides-to-be. LoveShackFancy has built its name with pieces that are so heart-flutteringly lovely that they are made to fall in love in – and with. Puff sleeves, ruffles, ribbons and candy florals, these are clothes which belong in a rose-tinted world that’s equal parts bucolic and bohemian. No wonder they sell out consistently.

Suitably, the brand even has its own rather romantic backstory. ‘LoveShackFancy was born out of a need to find the perfect dress for my bridesmaids for my wedding,’ explains founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen. ‘As the brand has grown, bridal has always been on my mind, and there has always been a customer demand for a standalone collection in our signature vintage-inspired styles. So, it’s really an organic evolution and part of the key DNA of the brand.'

The collection, which took an antique lace Hessel Cohen unearthed in a market outside Paris as its starting point, speaks to the modern bride’s desire to look like herself, albeit an ultra-romantic version of it. This is a meringue-free zone. Standouts include a high-necked, long-sleeved Edwardian-inspired dress (perfect ‘for a city registry office wedding ceremony’ says Hessel Cohen) and an eyelet organza style (‘for the more fashion forward bride’). The very Laurel Canyon, tiered empire line Lennon dress is sure to charm fans of LoveShackFancy’s bohemian aesthetic, while a two-piece set and mini dresses are made for those who find ‘traditional’ a major turnoff.

Hessel Cohen understands that brides don’t want to feel rigid and stuffy on their big day (when she got married nearly a decade ago, she spontaneously asked her own maid of honour to cut the lining out of her wedding dress after the ceremony so could dance the night away). ‘You can wear the dresses barefoot. They’re ethereal and dreamy for the more laidback romantic. I always saw our bride as being a more free-spirited, unfussy girl having a relaxed low-key wedding in their back garden or on the beach,’ she says.

It’s a message that has particular resonance now. ‘With most weddings now being cancelled, the back garden really is the only option and our dresses suit that so well!’ Joining the new breed of affordable bridal offerings, with prices starting at £450, Hessel Cohen also gets that you might not want to remortgage in order to get your hands on your dream dress.

But what about those of us who aren’t coupled up? Well, with head-to-toe white being big news for summer 2020, nobody said you had to be planning your big day to fall for these dresses (and, indeed, if you are you can rewear these long after you're back from honeymoon). ‘Our bridal dresses can easily be worn again,’ says Hessel Cohen. ‘Once I can get my hands on them I will be wearing them this summer!’.